The MTN Ghana Foundation’s annual Valentine’s Day blood donation exercise has attracted many people including the telecom firm’s staff who turned out in their numbers to donate blood to hospitals in the country.
The exercise which took place in the 10 regions of Ghana was targeted at donating at least 2,017 pints of blood from the Greater Accra– MTN House at Ridge; MTN office on Graphic Road; Volta-Roman Catholic Church (Sacred Cathedral), Ho; Eastern-Jackson Park, Koforidua; Central– Aggrey Memorial SHS, Cape Coast ;Western– Fiaseman SHS, Tarkwa and frontage of MTN Market Circle Office, Takoradi; Ashanti-Adum; Brong Ahafo-Victoria Park, Sunyani; Northern-Tamale Regional Library; Upper East –Lorry Station, Bolgatanga; and Upper West –Lawra Basket Ball Court.
The MTN’s blood donation exercise follows a numerous appeals made by the National Blood Bank of Ghana’s premier health facility-Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) and other health facilities in the country.
In a short remark before the commencement of the exercise, the Executive Director of the MTN Ghana Foundation, Mrs. Cynthia Lumor said: “Having recognised the depth of the perennial blood shortage at the National Transfusion Service, the Foundation decided to support and save more lives by instituting the blood donation exercise as an annual campaign”.
Since the inception of the exercise six years ago, the MTN Foundation has collected over 3,71 pints of blood to support the National Transfusion Services and other regional hospitals, Mrs Lumor disclosed.
“We believe that as a result of this exercise we have been able to save many lives and we are very pleased about this achievement”.
“The World Health Organization [W.H.O] has stated that voluntary non-remunerated blood donors are the foundation of a save, sustainable blood supply.”
“They indicate that, without a system based on regular voluntary donation, no country can provide sufficient blood for all patients who require transfusion,” she noted. While according to the National Blood Bank, out of the 250,000 pints of blood needed yearly, only 66% is donated voluntarily.
“It is our hope that, through this initiative we will be able to help stock these hospitals; our ultimate goal is to save lives”, Mr Lumor emphasised.
Health benefits
Besides helping create sustainable blood supply, there are also health benefits related to regular blood donation. “We are told that regular blood donation is beneficial in reducing risk of heart and liver ailments caused by iron overload in the body it helps in reducing obesity”, she stated.
“It is in this regard that the MTN Ghana Foundation has for the past six years remained committed to help increase stock blood levels at the National Transfusion Service and various hospitals in the country”.
The African Eye Report gathered that chunks of the blood donated from Accra would go to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), while some of the pints of blood go to the Ridge Hospital which is not far from the MTN Ghana headquarters.
On other hand, donated blood from Kumasi, and Tamale would go to the Komfo Anokye and Tamale teaching hospitals, while the Takoradi donation is meant for the Takoradi Regional Hospital, and Efia-Nkwanta health facility.
The sixth edition exercise was supported the KBTH, 37 Military Hospital and all the 10 regional hospitals in the country.
African Eye Report
